With no movie theaters in Pullman, WSU has an alternative for students wanting to enjoy the movie theater experience.
The Student Entertainment Board (SEB) hosts Monday movie nights, free for current WSU students and $5 for general admission. They show a variety of new and old movies to experience in a classic movie theater set up.
In her first year with SEB, second-year student Avrie Nemrow has stepped into the role of Director of Films, curating weekly movie nights for WSU students. Through Swank Media, Nemrow picks through the movie options provided and plans out which will be showing on certain weeks.
“I like to do a good mix,” said Nemrow. “Fall is around the corner, so I chose a couple movies that were fall-inspired. I also want to make sure that we’re getting a lot of new movies that came out recently but also making sure we have those throwbacks.”
Senior and SEB Director Katrina O’Dell, who has been a member for three years, said she hopes students attend the movie showings.
“I think it’s always a difference when you see a movie on the big screen versus when you see it on your TV,” O’Dell said. “That’s why we like to do throwbacks. Movies that were made in the 70s and 80s, most of us aren’t old enough to have seen except for some faculty here.”
SEB makes sure the details are all there. When you enter, you are hit with the buttery smell of popcorn. As you make your way to a seat, you can hear the murmured voices of the crowd as they wait in anticipation for the movie to start. For many students, SEB movie nights are more than just an experience, it is a tradition for students to feel part of the Cougar community.
Elise Sandell, a senior at WSU, said she is grateful for these events. She remembers one experience she had at one of the past movie nights.
“I think it’s nice that they show a lot of new movies rather than just old movies because I didn’t get to see Wicked in theaters,” Sandell said. “Then they showed Wicked literally just a couple months after it came out, which was really nice. I could see it in an actual movie type area. I think it’s nice that it’s free for all students and there’s popcorn. It’s exactly like going to the regular movies.”
Whether you are wanting to enjoy a favorite childhood movie or catch new releases or simply escape stress from school for a couple of hours, SEB makes sure you have options on a Monday night.
“That’s what SEB does is try to create memorable moments for Cougs,” O’Dell said.
